


stuff the cat back in the bag

by kratoes



Category: Karneval
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Neighbors, Family Fluff, Fluff, Gareki is so done, Kiichi is mentioned because she's my best girl, M/M, Yogi's a sap pass it on, because you gotta love those relatives yo, nyanperowna is a matchmaker
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-26
Updated: 2015-05-26
Packaged: 2018-04-01 08:31:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4012819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kratoes/pseuds/kratoes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Your cat keeps getting into my house and I don't even know how would you care to explain AU</p>
            </blockquote>





	stuff the cat back in the bag

**Author's Note:**

  * For [homeboy Kaitlyn](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=homeboy+Kaitlyn).



> this is really lame and I blame Kaitlyn for encouraging my 2 a.m. epiphanies and revelations about life and yorekis
> 
> so bae, this is for you.

The sky is blue, the big bang theory is bullshit, Tsubame would never win against him and there was a cat in the kitchen. Gareki didn't own a cat. He didn't even like cats.

"What the fuck? How did you get here," Gareki crouches down to look at the fluffy orange cat closer and it practically jumps him, right into his arms, purring contentedly. Weren't cats the grumpiest things in existence? 

He realises the collar around the cats neck and snorts when he reads it's name on the heart shaped medalion. Nyanperowna. Just like that shitty cat cartoon Nai watches with Tsubame. "Well Nyanperowna, it makes sense for you to run away from a shitty owner who named you that," and then he reads the address on the medalion, it belonged to his neighbour.

That annoying blonde guy who liked giving everyone and everything hugs and the quiet girl who smiled when she felt awkward. Great. He'd rather avoid them. He could keep the cat despite his hatred for pets in general…

Gareki looks at the feline in his hands with a sigh. "Well either way, you are really bringing my day into a different level of 'so done'."

He's outside his house in a jiffy, intent on getting rid of the dumb cat and getting the whole 'talking with the neighbours' thing over with but he stops in his tracks at the sight of the annoying blonde one walking towards him. "You, this is your cat right?" his head motions towards the bundle in his hands.

"Ah Nyanperowna! There you are!" 

"Yes, take it away," 

Yogi laughs sheepishly. "I'm so sorry! Where did you find her? I didn't trouble you did I?" He's right in front of Gareki now, bending his knees to look directly at his cat with his cheeks puffed up. "Nyanperowna I'm such a terrible owner."

"It was in my kitchen,"

Yogi stops for a while and looks up. "How did she get there?"

"I have no idea. My door doesn't have a cat flap and most of my windows have gates,"

"Nyanperowna are you magical?" Yogi asks his cat, laughing at the meow in reply. 

"What the actual hell, anyways here's your cat," Gareki carefully gives Nyanperowna back to Yogi and resists the urge to roll his eyes when Yogi nuzzles the cat.

"Thank you Gareki-kun!" and Yogi's smile is so wide and so bright it's sickening. 

Gareki raises his hand in acknowledgement. Good riddance. 

♡

"Gareki! Why is there a cat in the living room?" 

"What? not again." Gareki groans aloud and stalks out from his room and right there on their carpet was the orange cat from four days ago.

"Not again?" Tsubame asks.

"It was here a few days ago." he explains with the wave of his hand but he was too busy glaring at the cat, Nyanperowna or whatever it's name was.

"How did it get in?" his sister enquires, crouching down to scoop Nyanperowna into her arms. She craddles it, whispering "Gareki is so mean glaring at something as cute and chubby as you"

Gareki looks at her with an unamused expression. "Only god knows, call him up or something,"

"I think my question was valid enough," she replies as if she took offense but it was obvious she didn't. "So Nyanperowna, if you ran away from your owner again it must really mean something," she looks up at Gareki with a suggestive look in her eyes.

"I'm not helping you steal the cat."

"I was joking," and then she's looking at Nyanperowna with a smile again. 

"I think I'll steal the cat away from you," Gareki states warily because that didn't look like someone who was just joking. "It doesn't belong here,"

Tsubame sighs and hands Nyanperowna over to him. "You're welcome," 

"Sure thing kid,"

"Hey!" Tsubame complains.

Gareki laughs smugly and utters a "see you" before walking out of his house, practically stalking towards Yogi's house. When he reaches the front door he rings the doorbell twice the times a normal person should to emphasis his annoyance. 

He hears Yogi's voice from inside, something incoherent and it just makes him tap his foot impatiently. He looks down and realises that he's stepping all over a Nyanperowna doormat. Obviously it would be Nyanperowna, obviously. 

When the door opens Gareki is greeted with a smile and then Yogi's expression drops when he notices his cat in Gareki's arms. "Oh, so that's where Nyanperowna went,"

"Can you explain how your shitty cat is doing this?" Gareki complains, setting Nyanperowna down in the doorway of Yogi's house. He then pulls Yogi outside and closes the door. No way to run to my house now you pesky animal.

"Doing what?" Yogi questions.

"Breaking into my house like some shitty spy or something." 

"Maybe my cat just really likes you… or maybe she learned how to fly!" 

"You're kidding." 

"Hey, it's possible!" But then Yogi is laughing, the bubbly kind while his arms were wrapped around his stomach. "Your expression! That was too cute!" The blonde looks at him and the moment their eyes meet he coughs slightly. "I don't actually believe my cat can fly," He's slightly flushed and Gareki isn't even sure why anymore.

"Yeah, I can see that," he decides to say, averting his eyes slightly. "Just keep both eyes on your cat from now on,"

Yogi nods.

"Good, anyways I'll see you around I guess,"

"Of course Gareki-kun," and it's that smile again. God, couldn't he filter his mouth or something? Who the hell smiles so warmly and blindingly and-- 

"What type of toothpaste do you use?" he ends wondering aloud and what the actual fuck. 

"H-hah? What?" Yogi's completely off guard, surprise apparent on his face but he ends up laughing, the fond 'oh you' kind of laugh."Sometimes you can be so weird Gareki-kun."

"Forget what I said," pulling his pink hoodie up over his head, he turns around and takes big fast steps because that was too embarrassing, he could practically feel his cheeks burning. He spends the entire day holed up in the comfort of his home.

Yogi never mentions it again.

♡

"So your cat was in my house again," is the first thing Gareki says when Yogi opens the door. Before Yogi could reply, he shoves the cat into Yogi's arms. "My cousin thought we bought a cat. He's kinda gloomy right now so I can't really talk," he mutters and then he turns around to head towards his own house. He notices Yogi kneeling down, making sure Nyanperowna was scampering in his house and not anyone else's before closing the front door and jogging up to Gareki. 

"I feel really bad," Yogi murmurs when he's finally next to the younger of the two."Maybe I could help cheer him up?" 

"I was planning to just take him to the playground with a friend or something,"

"But I'm a friend,"

"My cousin's friend, not… you." Gareki finishes off lamely. It's not like Yogi could even be considered his friend. Yogi was more of an… annoying-neighbour-whose-shitty-cat-keeps-on-getting-into-my-house.

Yogi laughs, as if what Gareki said was silly. "That's fine by me, I'll just have to be his friend. Maybe if that happens I'll become yours?" He wonders aloud, looking at Gareki expectantly. 

"Doubt it."

He laughs again and yet it seems fake. "I should have expected that."

They stop in front of Gareki and Tsubame's front door, Yogi waiting outside while Gareki went in to get Nai. He laughs at their doormat. Go away it says. That was such a Gareki thing to do. A few minutes later, Nai is rushing out the door with an estatic expression. He looks up and sees Yogi. "You must be Gareki's friend. Hi!"

Yogi can't help but gush. "You're such an adorable little kid! Yes, I am Gareki-kun's friend." he says the exact moment Gareki walks out. He gives the glare headed towards his way an innocent smile and a shrug. He said I was your friend, you don't understand how happy I am!

Gareki rolls his eyes and places his hand on Nai's shoulder to gain the kids attention. "Nai, this is Yogi my neighbour,"

Yogi pouts, looking at the other with a "how could you?" expression. Gareki smirks with a shrug. 

"Well hi there little Nai, it's nice to meet such a cute lil kid." Yogi greets while crouching down in order to face Nai properly. He adjusts Nai's hat from nearly falling off while asking "So, what are we doing today?" 

"Gareki says we're going to the playground!" Nai exclaims. "It's rare to have fun together so I'm really excited!"

"Little Nai is just too cute! I'm looking forward to it too. We could play with the swings and we could even go down the slide at the same time!"

"What are you? A kid?" Gareki grumbles.

"I'm an adult who isn't ashamed to get excited over a playground so yes, yes I am." Yogi states and he actually manages to look cool before his facade crumbles into a pout. "Gareki-kun you're so mean though! I'm still an adult!"

"Anyone can love playgrounds! "Nai adds in for Yogi's defence and he smiles at Yogi encouragingly. 

"Waaah! Little Nai, you really understand!" Yogi surprises Nai by capturing the other into a hug, murmuring under his breath "so cute" and "it really takes a kid to understand". Nai couldn't stop laughing in glee when Yogi scooped him up and raised him into the air.

Despite himself Gareki finds himself smiling although slightly. "Hey, the duo over there," he calls out, gaining the other two's attention. "We need to hurry up before it gets dark,"

Yogi puts Nai down, the two of them still giggling and then their huddled up, whispering amongst themselves. When Nai stands up straight, he looks at Gareki with a smile. "If you can catch us,"

Not a second later the duo are already running towards their destination, their laughs audible even from the distance. Gareki sighs, raises a hand into his hair before trying to catch up to the duo. 

And thus a new friendship was born.

♡

He wakes up with the cat on top of him in bed.

"We should really stop meeting like this,"

And he slumps down into his pillow again, suppressing a groan. 

The cat lets out a meow.

"Fucking hell Yogi"

♡

Yogi's the one to ring Gareki's doorbell this time.

"Nyanperowna?" Gareki says first.

"Nyanperowna." Yogi replies.

Gareki opens the door wider, motioning for the blonde to enter the house. "Tsubame actually bought a can of cat food specifically for this occasion. She loves your cat," His blue crop top describes exactly how he felt at the moment. WHY in bold letters.

"I feel so terrible," Yogi wallows, covering his face with his hands. 

"Don't be. She wanted to keep Nyanperowna. Reclaim your pet back," Gareki urges and then they're walking through their doorway into the living room. Tsubame was on her knees in the middle of the room, taking pictures of the fluffy cat and laughing while doing so.

"Yogi!" Tsubame exclaims when she looks up. "I put a bow on Nyanperowna to make her seem more like the cartoon Nyanperowna,"

"That's so cute!" 

"Why,"

"Because like Yogi said, it's cute Gareki,"

Yogi grabs Gareki around the shoulders while giggling. "You have to admit, she looks adorable! "

He looks up and he sees that stupid smile of Yogi's, the one that lights up his dumb face.

"Whatever,"

♡

"Nai, this isn't our cat," Gareki complains, looking at his cousin who was sprawled on his back and was currently raising the cat up and down while making kissy faces. What was this? The 100th time it's been here? 

"But it's Yogi's cat and he's our friend," Nai retaliates, sitting up straight and resting Nyanperowna on his lap. "she keeps on showing up. She must think we're her family!" he exclaims, fully believing in his new revelation. 

"Like hell we are, it's a nuisance and I'm still confused on how it's getting in our house, you're not in on this are you?"Gareki questions although not really expecting anything from it. Nai was too honest and he wouldn't do anything like kidnaping a cat every few hours for his entertainment. 

"I promise you I'm not! She just really likes us" he replies, nuzzling Nyanperowna.

"Yeah, it seems to like torturing me if that's what you're saying," Gareki mutters and then he's sighing. "5 minutes and then we're giving the cat back to Yogi,"

He hears Nai exclaiming a "Yes!" and shakes his head.

Kids.

♡

"Look, Yogi take fucking care of your cat will-- oh Tsukumo." His annoyed tone deflates at the sight of Tsukumo, Yogi's housemate. 

"Nyanperowna again?" Tsukumo states with a laugh. "I think she really likes you Gareki-kun," she says in an all knowing voice.

"It'd be a whole lot easier if it didn't," he mutters through gritted teeth. He gives Tsukumo back Nyanperowna and exchanges farewells before he leaves altogether. 

That… left him feeling empty. Maybe he was just too used to seeing Yogi and that fucking annoying smile of his. No, this was good, he shouldn't make a habit out of it. Yogi was just his neighbour and Nai's friend. He wasn't supposed to expect Yogi to just be there. He wasn't supposed to be looking forward to it. 

No.

♡

"Ok, so his cat is literally in love with you guys?" Ranji asks, not really paying all that much attention because he was completely engrossed in his cup of froyo. 

Weekly meet ups with Ranji and the squad #106. This time it was a frozen yogurt shop with basic interior and even more basic company. The only plus side was the lack of cats.

"To sum it up, yes." Gareki replies, slinking down even further into his chair. 

Tsubame takes a sip of her ice lemon green tea and rests her arms on the table. "I'm pretty sure we're in love with Nyanperowna too." At Gareki's snort she raises her finger onto his lips to silence him. "She's really adorable and playful! Sometimes I wonder if Gareki is the real cat,"

"No. Don't even-"

He's cut off by Ranji laughing obnoxiously. "I can see it, Gareki the cat." And then he's laughing again, obviously completely amused.

"What did I miss?" 

They all look up and see Shishi raising an eyebrow, completely confused and yet he manages to look so done as well. 

"Gareki was a cat in a previous life." Ranji supplies. He seems very satisfied when Shishi nods as if that was enough for him to understand the full situation and then he takes the empty seat next to Ranji.

"Only you could make something that incredulous into something that actually makes sense," Shishi says with a shake of his head.

Gareki glares at the three of them separately before sighing. "Whatever,"

"But you know, I don't think Nyanperowna is the only one smitten," Tsubame pipes up and she looks at Gareki with a smug look.

"Hah?" Gareki questions while Ranji leans in closer towards Tsubame, motioning for her to go on.

"The owner of Nyanperowna, our neighbour Yogi totally likes Gareki,"

"What?" Gareki asks confused. Very very confused. 

"Oh come on! Are you telling me you don't see how he looks at you?" Tsubame asks as if the answer should be obvious. 

"How does he look at him?" Shishi asks even though he didn't know what was actually happening, still, he wanted to know.

"With that look," Tsubame says with the clench of her fist. "The sparkly one like those romance manga's"

Ranji nearly chokes. "But are you sure it's for Gareki?"

Shishi adds in. "Are you positive? "

"Fuck off. Tsubame's sprouting shit." Gareki mutters and wraps his arm around Tsubame's neck. "She should probably stop," he says while leaning closer towards Tsubame's face.

She raises her hands in the air. "Fine, swim in the Nile,"

"Pretty sure you're drowning in it," Gareki snaps back.

"But for Gareki?" Ranji is still asking as if just the mere thought was unbelievable. 

"For Gareki," Tsubame says with the waggle of the eyebrows. Those were her last words before Gareki killed her in his mind.

♡

For some reason Gareki decided to take a jog around the neighbourhood. It had been a while since he'd done anything physical. With his indie music and attitude in check, he ran a few rounds. It was probably fate, not that he actually believed in that crap, when he notices someone lingering around his house during his second round. 

Yogi was sneaking Nyanperowna through one of his windows.

"What the fuck Yogi" he lets out with a tone that was as cold as ice and yet it felt like it came from hell. 

Said person looks up and freezes in his spot. He opens his mouth. Shuts it. "Ok I-I can explain, re-really I can!"

Gareki glares at Yogi. "Just spit it out."

The blonde feels very tentative on where to even start. "Well, this is my cat," he says, motioning towards Nyanperowna who was busy nuzzling Yogi's shoulder on the window sill.

"I know Yogi," Gareki grumbles, completely unamused.

"And Tsukumo happens to be friends with a girl named Kiichi who you just so happened to apparently bump into without apologising-" he pauses for a while for a breath "and she really wanted to get revenge so she snuck my cat into your house but I didn't know until after I got Nyanperowna back so," and he stops, looking at Gareki with those puppy dog eyes.

Gareki sighs aloud. "That is fucking insane but it doesn't explain why the shitty cat keeps on getting into my house constantly. Your friend isn't that messed up is she? And why are you in on it?"

To the younger's surprise, Yogi flushes pink, raising his hands up in the air, waving them frantically. "She's not! Well I--uh--Gareki-kun promise me you won't get mad if I tell you the truth,"

"No promises," 

Yogi bites his lip. "I don't think I want to tell you…" 

"So I don't deserve an explanation?" Gareki mutters, eyes narrowed as if he were staring into Yogi's soul.

"Of course you do! But it's just… really... something you would most definitely get mad at…"

Gareki sighs. "I'll try not to judge you too harshly,"

Yogi looks hesitant for a while but then he says "Alright, when I went to get Nyanperowna back you were just so… so cute! And yet you had this entire 'I'm probably never going to talk to you again' vibe and something in me just couldn't let that happen." He looks up to look at the black haired teen with complete awe and grabs Gareki's hands, much to the others surprise. "Gareki-kun you're just so…so interesting and I just really wanted to get to know you, be friends. At first Nyanperowna actually did keep on coming to your house and I was always just so secretly happy because that meant I could talk to you! You're just really amazing and soon I wanted to spend more and more time with you but then there was a day she just… didn't want to go so I sneaked her in and it just sort of started to happen. Constantly. And I'm really sorry! I really am Gareki-kun!" 

Yogi suddenly feels very self conscious and quickly drops their joined hands because those were a lot of words and when joined together they were completely embarrassing. He shuffles his feet in the eerie silence he brought upon. He hears Gareki click his tongue and looks up and Gareki- well Gareki was flushed and looked completely baffled, unable to comprehend what Yogi just said.

"Who the hell breaks the ice by sneaking their cat into other people's houses? I guess I don't have a choice after that entire speech though, so you're forgiven."Gareki manages eventually, his blue eyes averting away anywhere as long as he wasn't looking at Yogi, this confusing adult who acted like a child, who actually wanted Gareki's company and could make an entire essay just about it. This never happens. Gareki never thought it could happen. He doesn't know what else to say so he ends up uttering "guess I'll see you around," and after a second thought adds in "without the cat because you don't have to do that" and then he's walking away, hands in the pockets of his jacket.

He hears Yogi call out "well…wanna go out for coffee next time then? It'll...well it'll be guaranteed cat free!"

"We'll see," he replies. Yes, he thinks, it's definitely a yes. He cocks his head and he sees Yogi looking so flustered yet determined that it's endearing. Fucking endearing, out of all things. Nobody does this shit for him and to him but Yogi does and somehow he likes that. He actually likes it he realises and it's mind blowing because Gareki doesn't do liking and this is a new discovery. Scientists, write this down for history. He ducks his head because Yogi was still probably looking at him and like hell he would let the idiot see him smile.

At least not yet.

**Author's Note:**

> ok let's be real Gareki got gay real fast and wow fanfic writing is... hard ;) lol but pls tell me I didn't waste my life writing queer dweebs


End file.
